Vehicle-axle.



No. 707,845. Patented Aug. 26.1902.

H. H'ESTAND A. R. MATTHEWS.

VEHICLE AXLE.

(Applicgtion filed Man 6, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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HARDY HESTAND AND ARTHUR R. MATTHEWS, OF DUNDEE, TEXAS.

VEHICLE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 707,845, dated August26, 1902. Application filed March 6, 1902. Serial No. 96,953. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARDY HESTAND and ARTHUR H. MATTHEws, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Dundee, in thecounty of Archer and Stateof Texas, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inVehiole-Axles; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to vehicle-axles.

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle-axle with aremovable spindle, whereby spindles of different lengths may beconnected to the axle to change the gage of the vehicle-that is, from anarrow-gage vehicle into a wide-gage vehicle, and vice versa-and alsopermit of the replacement of an old worn spindle by a new one.

With this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists incertain novel features of construction and combination and arrangementsof parts, which will be hereinafter, fully described, defined in theappended claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the end of an axle, illustratingtheapplication of the invention. Fig.2 isa longitudinal vertical sectionalview. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line as a: of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the end ofthe axle, provided with an enlargedhead 2, which is screw-threaded.

3 denotes the axle-spindle, preferablyvmade of steel and provided at itsinner end with an enlarged cup 4, interiorly threaded and provided witha rearwardly-projecting arm 5, adapted to be secured to the axle by aclip 6. The outer screw-threaded end of the axle is enlarged, so as topermit the arm when the cup is being screwed upon the enlargedscrewthreaded end to freely pass the square corners of the axle. \Vhenthe clip is applied, the arm is drawn close to the under side of theaxle by the nuts of the clip, and in exerting its spring action said armforces the tie plate against the nutsvand holds it in frictionalengagement therewith. It will thus be seen that the spring-arm, inaddition to serving as a means for preventing the unscrewing of thespindle from the axle, also serves as a nut-lock for the nuts of theclip, as the spring energy of the arm is exerted to tightly force thetie-plate of the clip against the nuts thereof. When the spindle becomesworn, it may be easily and quickly removed and a new one substituted bysimply loosening the clip and unscrewing the spindle. By having two setsof spindles on hand of different lengths the vehicle may be convertedfrom a Wide-gage to a narrow-gage vehicle, or vice versa.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages ofourimproved vehicle-axle will,it is thought, be readily apparent withoutrequiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a vehicle-axle provided with an enlargedscrew-threaded end; of a spindle provided with an enlargedinternally-threaded cup to be screwed upon said end, and a spring-armprojecting inwardly from said spindle and, in the act of screwing thespindle to the axle, adapted to freely pass the corners of the axle, anda clip for clamping the arm into engagement with the axle, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribingwit- HARDY HESTANDL I ARTHUR R. MATTHEWS. Witnesses:

M. J. WIOKE A. E. DRUMMOND.

